I Trust You'll Save Me
by TheatreGeek95
Summary: Inspired by an anon prompt on Tumblr. Cora arrives in Storybrooke and takes Regina. Can Emma save Regina? Curse is still intact. Rated M just to be safe and for future chapters if any. I altered the prompt a little for the story line hope you don't mind!
1. Chapter 1

Thunder and lightning persisted throughout the night, keeping Regina awake in her bed. Ever since she woke earlier that same day she had premonitions that something terrible was going to happen. Then again, ever since Emma arrived in Storybrooke, those feelings had occurred completely for fear of breaking the curse on the town. But things had died down, now. The Mayor and the Sheriff of the town were getting along far better than anyone in the town expected on both an emotional and a physical level (wonderful things happen when sexual tension is formally addressed). Yes, any threat Regina had in her life was completely under control yet, that feeling in the pit of her stomach remained.

Boom after boom, the thunder got louder and the rain began to pound harder on the roof of the Mayoral Mansion. Regina tossed and turned in her bed, finally deciding to watch the dark room become illuminated by the flashes of lightning, her back to the open window. Her eyes studied the pattern of the wallpaper every now and then when she could see it and she felt her eyelids becoming heavy finally. Suddenly the silhouette of a human body was cast on the wall by a flash of lightning. Gasping loudly, Regina flipped over to find nothing, or no one, in front of the window. She exhaled a sigh of relief, blaming it on nerves or being overly tired. Lying back down and closing her eyes again, she flipped over once more.

"Hello, Regina."

Regina opened her eyes to see her mother, Cora, standing beside her bed. A blood curdling scream found its way out of her throat and the mayor immediately tried to crawl away, falling off the bed in the process and backing against the far wall, her knees weak. The older woman simply flicked her wrist towards the lamp on the near nightstand that turned itself on suddenly.

"Oh, come now, my sweet. Is that how you treat your Mother?" Cora said, smiling rather triumphantly that Regina reacted as such.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Regina demanded from her Mother as the thunder boomed throughout the house seeming to grow even louder to cover their conversation.

"What? I can't visit?" The elder woman asked, walking around the bed.

"Stay where you are!" Regina said, fumbling over to her nightstand to grab her phone, realizing it was on the opposite nightstand.

Taking one look at Cora and then making the decision to dive for her phone to call Emma for help, Regina did so but Cora was faster. Extending her right arm, black smoke surged towards Regina, throwing her against the headboard of the bed. Regina's body crumbled off of the bed, taking the nightstand to the floor with her. But Regina wouldn't give up. Hurriedly she grabbed her phone and dialed Emma's number, fighting through the pain that the earlier impact had on her frame.

"Now, now Regina…" Cora said kicking the phone out of her hand. Emma's distant 'Hello's' were heard faintly as Cora's magic brought Regina upright. "All I wanted to do was talk." One flick of her wrist and Regina's world went dark.

* * *

"Henry?" Emma said, shaking the boy in his bed. "Henry! Please wake up!"

"Hmmm?" Henry mumbled sleepily as his wits came about him. "Emma? What are you doing here?" He said rather excitedly, but, very confused at the situation. "Ow!" He exclaimed as he tried to sit up, it was then that Emma noticed the bruise on his temple.

"Oh, my god…" Emma said, brushing his hair away from his face. "Did you fall?"

"No… I didn't." He said, squinting at the pain. "It feels like someone hit me."

"Henry, listen to me. Do you know where your Mother is?" Emma asked, concerned for them both, now.

"She's probably sleeping." He said rubbing his eyes. "Why? How did you get in?"

"That doesn't matter now, Henry. She isn't in her room, she's not in her office downstairs, and her car is still here, kid." Emma explained, continuing to stroke Henry's untidy hair out of his face. "She called me about an hour ago. I heard another woman's voice on the other end of the line but then it went dead. Was anyone here, Henry?"

"No." He replied.

"Did you hear anything from down the hall?" She asked the kid.

"All I heard was the storm. Emma, is she okay?"

"I hope so." Emma said, grabbing clothes for him to put on. "I'm taking you to Mary Margaret's house. She will help you with your head, okay? You have to stay there while I find your Mother."

Henry scrambled to get his clothes on and grabbed his book bag. "Okay. But why do you care about finding my Mom?"

"It's a long story. We don't have time." The Sheriff said hurriedly. "Come on." She ordered, running out of his room and down the stairs, Henry followed.

After a quick car ride to Mary Margaret's house, Emma dropped Henry off, and sat in the car trying to think. The only person she could think of asking was Mr. Gold. 'He would know something.' Emma thought to herself.

Pulling up to his house what seemed like centuries later, Emma ran through the rain, then up the stairs to the front door and began pounding on the wood door. Moments later, lights in the house were turned on and Mr. Gold greeted her.

"Sheriff Swan." Mr. Gold said, smiling sleepily at her. "Isn't it a bit late to be on duty?"

"No small talk, Gold." She said. "It's about Regina."

"Please, come in."

* * *

The room wouldn't stop spinning and Regina tried hard to keep her eyes open. She couldn't move. Her hands were bound to her sides and two straps restrained her torso, a third around her knees. Her feet didn't touch the ground and she knew she was being controlled by magic. As her fingers met the leather of the nearest strap, a memory flashed behind her lids.

_A young Regina rode in light blue upon a brown horse around a course as her father watched over, smiling and cheering her on. _

_ "That was beautiful sweetheart." Henry said, walking towards the girl who had just gotten off of her horse. Wrapping an arm around her, he kissed her cheek._

_ "Thank you Daddy." Regina replied smiling, hugging him back._

_ "Beautiful?" Cora chuckled softly, walking up to the pair with Daniel, the stable boy, following with a saddle in his hands. "I'd hardly call that beautiful."_

_ "You didn't like it, Mother." Regina practically stated, getting a firmer grip on the reigns._

_ "You ride like a man." Cora said, her eyes cold. "A lady should be graceful. You should use a saddle."_

_ Regina smiled at the horse and stroked his nose. "We were just having fun."_

_ "Well, you're getting a little too old for fun. Who is going to want to marry you when you behave like a commoner?" Cora asked._

_ Henry stepped forward, "Cora. Please leave her alone-"_

_ "Stop coddling her!" Cora interjected. "She's becoming an old maid. All of the other girls her age are married." She continued with a sigh. "I had such high hopes…"_

_ "My lady." Daniel began to say, "Perhaps this saddle might-"_

_ Regina stepped forward, cutting him off, "I'm done riding for the day. And don't ever interrupt me and my mother again." She said with a glare, handing him the reins of the horse._

_ "Why do you always have to criticize me?" Regina asked._

_ "I'm not criticizing you. I'm helping you." Cora responded as Regina started to walk away. "Don't you walk away from me!" She said sternly, reaching out and stopping her with magic, lifting her in the air and bringing her back._

_ "Mother!" Regina shouted, annoyed. "You know I don't like it when you use magic!"_

_ Cora chuckled darkly. "And I don't like insolence." She lowered her hand, leaving Regina in the air still. "I'll stop using magic when you start being and obedient daughter."_

_ Regina huffed. "Why can't I just be myself?"_

_ "Oh, because you can be so much more than that if you just let me help you…"_

_ "I don't care about status I just want to be-"_

_ Cora rolled her eyes and lifted her hand again, causing two straps to bind Regina's arms to her sides_

"_Cora, please!" Henry tried to say._

_Regina's brow furrowed and she gave in, scared. "Please." Regina said, on the verge of tears. "I'll be good."_

_At that, Cora slowly dropped her hand causing Regina to slowly decend to the ground, the restraints falling as well. "Excellent! That's all I wanted to hear." Cora said with a smile._

"Regina." Cora demanded, the sound faintly heard in Regina's head. "Regina!"

A hard slap across her face brought Regina out of her memory, causing her to cry out in pain at the stinging on her cheek followed shortly by warmth. Cora was in front of her looking up at her form when Regina opened her eyes.

"I shouldn't have to get your attention that way, my dear." Cora said, reaching out and stroking her red cheek. Regina immediately recoiled from the touch.

"What do you want from me?" Regina demanded. "Where is my son!"

Cora laughed. "He isn't your son."

"What did you do with him! Where is he?" The Mayor demanded, struggling with her bonds.

"I left him there." Cora said, adjusting her black gloves. "Don't worry, I knocked him out cold. He won't know a thing!"

"You bitch! How da—"Regina started to shout, crying out suddenly as her restraints got tighter.

"You will _not_ talk to me in such a manner, Regina." Cora said, slapping her across the face. "You have lost sight of your goals. I know you oh, so well my love. It's time for me to finish what you started. If you cannot kill the only threat that endangers the dark curse on this town, I will."

"You will not—"Regina tried to talk again but cried out as the straps tightened again. Every time she went to protest or speak, they would tighten even more.

"I had so much faith in you…" Cora said, looking at Regina. "You were doing so well…"

* * *

"I see…" Mr. Gold said, his hands closing around his cane. Emma watched as he sat there contemplating and processing the information she had just provided him about Regina's call and how she found Henry.

"I know Regina has many enemies, but, who would have cause to do this?" Emma asked.

"I only know of one person who is capable of this act, Miss. Swan. And I'm afraid you've never met her, before.

"Who?"

"Regina's mother." The man said.

"Mother?" Emma repeated, thoroughly surprised.

"Yes. Mother." Mr. Gold reassured. "But I can see why you are surprised. I'm the only one who knows that she is here."

"Go on…" Emma pushed.

"You see, Miss. Swan. I am a man of real estate. I receive rent and payments from many people but only I know of a few remote locations that I receive money from. Regina's mother, Cora, owns a house on the outskirts of Storybrooke, deep in the woods." Gold explained, clearing his throat. "Cora pays me well to keep her location confidential as well as to provide her with all the supplies she needs to keep her permanent residence there."

"If her location is confidential, why did you tell me this?" Emma asked.

Mr. Gold smirked. "Cora has a unique demeanor and attitude that may not mix well with that of the Mayor."

"And she would have motive to hurt Regina?" Emma asked.

"Well, not all parents are alike, Miss. Swan." Gold replied. "Let's just say it took Regina a long time to live up to her mother's expectations."

"Tell me where to go."


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, baby…" Emma said softly, pressing down on the gas pedal more urging the car faster around the twists and turns of Storybrooke's back woods. The car was old and didn't take high speeds very well, but, Emma was going to push the poor vehicle to its maximum performance level despite the danger of crashing. Regina was in danger and that was all Emma cared about. Funny, how Emma cared about Regina as much as she did. Despite her ego taking hold and quarreling with the town mayor on almost every occasion and her less than honorable encounters with the woman as well, Emma deep down cared for the woman far too much than she should and it wasn't unrequited. No four letter word was uttered, though. The two women were both too high on their horses to admit that they had any love for the other. In their minds it would only make them weak as well as the fact that it was only sex between them. Only sex, yes, that caused Emma to floor the yellow bug as break neck speeds deep into the woods of Storybrooke. Turning a corner, Emma noted a large boulder on the left of the road shaped like a heart. Mr. Gold had stated that directly behind it was a trail that could only be taken by foot. Easing the car to a halt, Emma opened the glove box and grabbed her handcuffs and her gun. Once she was out of the car she quickly clipped the effects to her belt and set off down the trail. The ground was still wet and the trail was muddy, but, still she trekked on. For almost half an hour she walked through the dense woods. When the trees began to thin out, she found herself at the road again just a little ways away from where her car was.

'What the hell?' Emma thought, running back to her car. 'Did I take a wrong turn?' Her brain questioned as she leaned against the car, trying to clear her mind and think straight. As she took a deep breath, the Sheriff realized that her front tire was flat. Turning to see the comparison, she saw that all of the tires had been slashed and there was a heart scratched into the paint of the back of the bug. Instinctively she reached for her gun her skin tingling and her senses on edge. As soon as her fingers made contact with the holster, a cloud of black smoke threw her against the car with a loud bang. Her shoulder was the first to hit the hard metal, then her head which cause her eyesight to black out momentarily as she fell to the ground. Struggling to get back up, because god damn it if she didn't go down without a fight, another surge of black smoke sent her flying across the road and holding her against the heart shaped boulder. Her head hitting yet again, the last thing Emma saw was an older woman who looked oddly like Regina walking towards her with a smile.

* * *

Her head throbbed. Emma knew that she has hit the boulder hard, but she didn't think it was anything major. Though, as she came to, she realized that she had lost feeling in her hands from her wrists down. Her eyes were far too heavy to keep open but she could hear faint speaking. Pushing aside the constant sharp pain fleeting through her temple, Emma listened.

"Regina…" An older woman's voice cooed. "What are we going to do with you? I have your Savior right there."

"Mother-" Regina's voice began, suddenly cut off by a cry of pain followed by a small gasp for air. Emma noted that her voice was softer than her usual tone.

"I must say, my dear. You sure do choose the most unattractive people to give your affections away to. She is even worse than that stupid stable boy I destroyed." The woman continued in her sharp tenor, her location changing from place to place. "Oh! Memories." Emma couldn't ignore the morbid reminiscent tone in the woman's voice; She had already assumed it was Cora. "What was his name again? Dante, no. Dorien. Ah, no."

"Daniel…" A soft whisper, barely audible in the silent room from where Emma was positioned, came from Regina.

"Yes! Daniel!" Cora said elatedly. "Well, this savior," The woman turned and walked towards Emma, who resisted the reflex to jump at the close proximity of the sharp voice. "This Sheriff won't be very hard to handle. She might even be easier to take care of than that worthless stable boy."

Regina hissed from across the room and the elder woman moved away from Emma. "Do be a dear, Regina. Keep an eye on her while I go upstairs to freshen up for our guest. She will be out for a little while longer." A loud thud and a cry of pain was heard from where Emma knew Regina's voice had come from, followed by a grunt of pain. Footsteps were heard going up the stairs as Regina shuffled over to Emma.

Soft hands caressed Emma's cheek, pushing the blonde curls out of her face. "Emma…" Regina whispered softly, her breath tingling Emma's face. "Emma!"

Emma opened her eyes to see beautiful brown ones staring into her own. "Regina."

"You're alive!" Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around Emma, who discovered that the reason for her discomfort was that she was tied up with her hands above her head. "I thought I had lost you too." Swiftly those familiar soft hands untied the leather straps around Emma's wrists, allowing her to move once again. Weak arms sought comfort around Regina's torso. "Please tell me Henry is safe."

"He is." Emma breathed, burying her face into Regina's hair. "He is alright…"

Regina leaned back to stare into Emma's green eyes again, her own tearing up breaking into soft sobs. "I always trusted that you would be the one to save me… I'm so sorry. I didn't know that she was here—"

"Shh… It's okay, Regina." Emma cooed gently. "We will get out of here. I promise you."

A hand reached up to stroke Emma's cheek gently like earlier, as familiar eyes locked once again. "Thank you, Emma." The blondes hand moved over Regina's hand as a soft smile graced her lips. Instinctively Regina began to lean forward into Emma, trying to show her affection with a kiss.

"Well, well, well." Cora's voice rang from the stairway. "It seems my lessons were a waste on you, Regina. Haven't I always said that love is weakness? To think you'd learn…" Smirking wickedly, the old woman advanced.


End file.
